Coding and decoding apparatus



Amig. 7, 192s.

F. R. sEAVER comune Aun :Jacobins ABBARATUS Filed oct. s 4 sheets-sneer 1 INVENTOR.l

uovswsxovozo hun A. BocoooEeFoGono Jona LoMQNQO* hunnnn A a. .oooecpeann Jani Loman* ooPeQoRQSeTnucvowox .N020

. |||||II||||I||IA OBICOOIEIFOGIMOODJOKOLUNONIOOuOQOROSJ Ango 7, v

- F. R. SEAVER `CODING AND DECODING APPARATUS Filed oct. 1924 v 4 `sheets-sheet 2 4 ev I Y "L" k '4 es w s Q s v N we s R C@ Q S gy e e9 S F s e la M G S N F e Q 5 N o K 4s at, e

S m s 6 N @Qld-S `:11 qa W S QL S m N x\ S J f n Ni N [iF 1NVENToR. -d Fra/zk Sez/f F' B 'Q f ATTORNEY.

Aug. 7, 1928." A 1,679,380

F. R. SEAVER CODlNG AND DECODING APPARATUS V4 Sheet-Sket 3 N N- led oct W. -Full L v Wm. km. Sv um. h.. mh wmf Aug. 7, 1928-.

F. R. sEAvER CODING AND DECODING APPARATUS ges-Sheet 4' INVENTOR feng@ 9,* f 'l ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 7, i928.

FRANK R. SEAVER, OF POMONA, CALIFRNIA.l

CODING- ANID DECODING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 8, 1924. Serial No. 742,333.

v The object of this invention is to produce in a' code7 which at will may be varied indefinitely, a message in plain English or other language, and to decode such a codeinessage into plain language.

i @ne feature of tie invention comprises a shiftable type-carrying member, such as a pivoted disk or a reciprocable rod, carrying 'tivo groups comprisingthe saine set of sym.- 4bols (such as letters, punctuation marks, or other characters), the symbols of one group being in normal mutual arrangement `and in normal position individually, and the other group consisting of an arbitrary arrangement of the same symbols (but preferably in laterally reversed position, individually) in relief as printing-type, each symbol of the one group being doubly paired or coupled with some other ,symbol of the other group, e. g.: the normal C being paired with a laterallyT reversed F in relief, and theiiormal F being coupled with a laterally'reversed C in relief. l y

A second feature of the invention comprisesproi'fiding suoli shiftable type-carryingv member with demountable and iiiter-v changeable types or reversed letters or bols in relief. A third feature ofthe invention comprises lthe -combination with a suitably-arranged plurality of" such shiftable type-carrying members of suitable means whereby said types can be aligned for printing, the correctness of rthe work iferiiied, and, the aligned types then printed upon a suitable material such as paper. p

More particularly, the invention corn.- prises, fourtlily, in combination With l'tlie last-mentioned feature, of means to causethe aligned'types, when verified, to be brought into operative contact with a suitable printimpartingVinediuni such as a typewriterr'ibbon and' be printed upon a suitable printi'eceiving medium such as a roll ofpaper, and thereafter to cause the advance of said print-receiving medium and said print-im# parting medium, and finally to reset" the 'type-carrying members in their normal position.4 "M

Finally, the invention comprises the 'various features and details hereinafter Set forth by the appended claims.

shown asinstalled in operative relation with a convenientI forni of printing-apparatus. In these drawings:

Fig. l is a-plan view of the apparatus form of aV plurality of reciproeable rods,

Figs. 2 and 3 `are elevations of opposite sides, respectively;

Fig. 'lis longitudinal vertical section through tliepline lll-lof Fig.' 1;` Figs. 5 and 6 are transversevertical seetions through the linesY-- and'-"G, respectively, ofFig. l;` l Fig; 7 is `a horizontal section, vpartly broken away, through Fig.' 2;A

8 is a vertical section of the printing-Ine :hanisrnl t e y Fig. 9 is a plan view, Apartly brokenJl away, of two o`f` tl1e shiftable type-carrying bars and the intermediate fixed baiglsliowing some of the exposed symbols'orllett'ers,'alternating withibosses; l fl, Y

"'FigflOmis agbottoin `view',"pai"tly broken afway,v of. three of, said fixed bars and two of such shift-able bai-s, showing some of the reversed types'for printing;

` Fig. 11 is afdetail, showingl perspective oneof the demountable printing-types;`

Fig. `12` is an elevation of afpawl-andratchetdevice for feeding the'pape'rgand 'Fig 13 is a plan, partlylbroken'away, of a pawl-and-ratehet device forfeedingy the rib- "ldigure."14: is aviewfin side elvationof thehoolr'connecting'the cover withthe machine.

lThe preferred printing-apparatus will bev described first.' It is here shown as comprise. ing a main framework l, `mountedupon a base-board 2, and liavingfat itsifear einltlie operating-bar 3. Near the rear'of'said framework is deniountably', 'journalled i .a transverse spindle 4;,"on whicliis provided a demountable roll of paper 5. The paper is passed Vover a vertically-movable supporting-platen secured on a s indie 6 andnndei a straight cutting-edge O11 the projectthrough detail imagine L1-rijsspapierv lone St 1 ing ends of a transverse spindle 8, at the front of the upper part of the framework, are two ribbon-spools 9 9', each of which can be made fast by a thumb-nut l0. From one spool, Whose thumb-nut is loosened to constitute". it'av` [supply-spool, the ribbon passes rearwarclly,"tlience over a diagonal guide l1 on the framework, and crosses just above the paper on the supportingplaten, and thence to a second diagonal guide 1l and forwardly to the other spool, whose thumb-nut clamps it to its spindle as the take-up spool. 1Q is atransverse rockybar ,journalled in the lower part of the framework between the paper-roll and the supporting-platen, and from it extend rearwardly vtwo parallel levei`arms v13, each havfan offset studl lei.; and forwardly extend two'parallel 'lever-arn'is l5, which carry a platen-frame' 16 in i whose upper part is fjouvrn'alledhtlie aforesaid spindle 6 for the supporting-platen and also two pressurero'll'ers -17 for maintaining the paper in frictional engagement with the platen; while suitable means, such as the vertical ones of the"groupofsprings 18, normally maintain thehplaten-frame vin its lowermost position. The 'horizontal ones'ofl said group of springs 18 tend to hold'the pressure rollers operative.v The operating-bar 3 is carried by the rea-r ends of two lever-arms 19, whose front ends are pivoted at the front of the framework,v and which extend in vertical alignment abovesaid studs 14. Se that depression of th'eoperating-bar 3 elevates the platen 6, and impresses'the superposed paper andthe interposed ribbon against the dependingl faces of the vparticular printing'- types which may at that time be presented, im'iii'ediat'ely overhead, by the superposed I ipperfran'ie as hereinafter described; and release ofmtheY operating-bar permits the springs and gravitylto restore the platen to normal position, withthe superposed paper and ribbon out of contact with the over- Depres'sion and release of the operating'- barthushcauses a to-and-fro vertical nuovement'of the platen and its spindle. Suitable inefch'an'ismis provided for causing this miieinentI to produce a partial one-directi m rotation the platen, so as to advance the There may be such feedingm'ech'anism 'for each end of the platen-carryingspindle. As shown in Fig. l2, it comprises aratchet-wheel 2O fast on said spindle andi-fa 'co-acting spring-controlled j'ia'wl 2l piv'ot'ed on the outer end of an arm Q2 which isjournalledon the spindle and whose movement is limited by a projecting stud or screw QBer'tending in'to 'a' verticalslot provid-ed i ina' stationary support 24. The location and yerticaleXmtjof the slot are such as to' revent said stud and arm from continuin their upward movement along with the upward movement imparted to the platenframe and its ratchet by the depression of the operating-bar, whereby the continued upward movement of the spindle and ratchet tilts `the spring-pressed pawl andcauses it to ride over one of the cam-teethjand engage the next .tooth and when the operating-bar is released, and the platen and its frame restored to the lowerposition, the opposition of the engaged pawl causes the aforesaid partial rotation vof the ratchet and of the platen.

Parallel. kto the llnver part of the main framework is journalled a longitudinal rock-bar 25,;from the rear of whichuextends rigidly a crank 26, which is linked to the adjacent portionof one of the aforesaid arms 19;V while from, theforward end `of said rock-bar Ientends rigidly anotherv crank 27, for actuating the. ribbon-feed. The-latter comprises the aforesaid. spindle carrying on its ends the jaforesaid' ribbon-spools 9 and 9, one ofthemfastand the other Aloose thereon, `and yintern'iefdiately.,on said shaft 8 is fast a worm-gear, in mesh with a worm on a, .vertical ,shaft 28. Thelast- .mentioned crank 27is oo'nnectedvvto said Vertical shaft by a pawl-and-,ratchet connection 29. Each depression and release` of the Y.

operating-bar, therefore, rotatesy the thenhired ribbon-spool one step, thereby advancin g the ribbon .upon ,that spool and unwinding it from the then loosely-mounted spool. lVhen all. the ribbon ,has been unwound from one spool., the two' thumb-nuts 10 are loosened, and the ribbon is rewound by manually spinning the emptied spool in the reverse direction. p

The type-carrying members andtheir arrangement will now be described. Referring to Figs. l, and 4-6, ay rectangular upper frame 30 is shown as carrying rigidly at its forward corners vthe depending rip-turned hooks 3l adapted to engage vunder the projecting ends of a transverse rod 32 fixed lat the front end ofthe main framework, see also `Figure let; while on the rear of said frame SO is pivoted a locking-member 33 which carries rigidly at each side a forwardly-opening hook adapted to engage a. stud near the rear upper corner of the, main framework. `Se that, by incliningthe frame 30 forward more thanninety degrees, said front liooks 3l can. engage (orbe disengaged from) their complementary rod 32, and by then swinging the frame 30 back upon the niain framework, its rear hooks can be made to engage their respective studs, and said upper frame becomes securely locked iny position upon the main framework.

As shown, this rectangular upper frame comprises (eleven) longitudinally-arranged parallel and equidistant members 34,A each of them channelled along eac-h Side-face. The front end. ofi-said channels, and of the spaces between sind mellbers; is normally closed by a demountable end-gate 35, a-transverse-memberg#secured in place as by two Screws" "l (i `illllht,several-tem) type-carrying bars 36 5 areistructurallyidentical, and are about onehalfithelength-of the frame 30. Each is a compound bariand lconsists of a lower inembenlittedto slide loi'igitudinallyin the opposingy `channels of two adjacent longitudio nal` members131i, and van'upper member conneetedtheretolby aninterposed spacing-neel: lo'ated lnear each end of t-he compound rod, 'said4 upper member yoverhinging and sliding uponathe samel two adjacent longitudinal membersj-M. Upon theupper face of each of I the Set of compound rods is presented the same set of symbols. such' as the properlyarranged letters of the alphabet disposed in normali,- position, alternating with small bosses (represented in solid black) so that, t when Hlltthegrod` have been shifted to normalposition (with their front ends abutting againstthe end-gate 35) the saine individual symbols'on the several rods will be presented in` transversealignment across the frame, and; the rearmost rou7 of aligned identica-l symbols will be in printing-position immediately above theplaten. A transverse bar 37,' Whose endsv are secured on top of the frame 30, carries (ten) for'w:willy-extending i spring-'plates `38, one for each rod andthe freetend .of each swing-plate is downturned and curve-d around so; as to fit between two bars and bearfrietionally upon the` upper :z5 fate` of-gitszown particular rod 36, and to t ride over the bosses thereon When the rod l Yispshifted in either direction. ln other words, these springs 38 serve, for nornially maintaininglfheir respective rods 86 in the 0 particular positionsseleeted for each.

ln using' the machine, the operator slides l each rod 36in turn to b ri'ng'its desired letter 0r other -sjyn'ibol into; the printing-position above thepjl a-ten,-+tl1atiis, as here ,sho-wn, 4,; immediatelyl i1ia l\ jance o'fits spring;l 385 u and he can reset the rods individually. But preferably they .are reset simultaneously, as

by ijie-.ansofa;resetting-frame, a reciprocable.;` ectangular f'amewhich `comprises a .30 resetbar 39,:loeatedat-a level to abut against f the ofwlie upperrnembers",36, two side- A memberslslidablyfitted in longitudinal channels inthe side-members .of said upper franle 30u.r and., atE the. front 4*transverse actuatingbargllf()` located/at a higher level to clear .L the rodsQ` The resetting-frame is thus maintainedfin operative relation to the rods. and

its movements are limited toV rectilinear rel oiprocation By; removing the aforesaid uo end-gate 35, the resetting-frame as well 4as i theirods 13(3ca-n beinse-rted into or removed frolnsaidlupper frame ySO.

Frornjthe lower member of each of .the

slidalbletrods` -dependsnfitsy set of printing-types of the normal letters or other symbols presented by the upper .face of the same lcompoundrod; but -feaoh printingsymbol (on thelowe-r face) is doubly. paired or coupled with someother normal letter-fior symbol exposed onthe upper'wfaee. Forex- 70 ample, beneathfthe normal letter G (exi posed on the upper faoelwill be the relieftype ofsoine other symbol orletteryasafEil; in which case the reversed relief-typeV tG? (onthe lower face) Vmust beybeneaththe normal F (on the upper face); u So that, when the rod has been shifted` to 4present said normal C in theprinting-position (immediately inl front of itsretaining-spring 38), and the loperatiiig-bar 3 isgdepressed, 80 the other 'symbolV of` that parir (in the `supposed ease, tl'ieffliw) willibe imprintedupon the paper; andwhen the normal symbol F has been brought infront ofpits retainingspring, its paired symbol (C-)fcan be imA printed upon `the paper.-A f Y Preferably, inlaid of quick reading of the letters of the codemessage' for subjecting the latter to the unscrambling operation of the decodinglmachine, eac-hy .printing-type on each rod is laterally reversed relative to its paired symbol exposed on the upper side of said rod, sothat the imprint of thisprint-v ing-type on the code-message recording tape will not be reversedlaterally, that is, will read right. Also, preferably,- inaid of" quick deeiphering of the decoding message on its recording; tape, each printing-type on each rod of thedecodinggmachine is similarly laterally reversed relative Ato itspairedsymbol exposedonwthe upper `side of that rod. Y

Preferably each of the `rods `bears at its forward endv a distinct-ive numeral by which it may be identilied; .and also preferably m5 the saine twoisyinbols that may be lcoupled for one oft-he rods 36'will not be coupled for any other rod. Soqthat, even should an outsider learn that the .F printed bywthe first rod indicate L1-G, yet an F? printed 1w by any of the otherrodsmayiand ,prefern ably will) indicate `Sonie-iotherfletter y(not, a C) and therefore the )gutsider would not be .able loLdeCipher" aacode-measage written by this apparatus;5-4 Y ,1 V, Moreover, the individual printing-types are preferab-l i ,g.demountableii and ,inter-i changeable. That-fis, While the, exposed nor-A mal letters orsymbols areffpe nane-ntly ari--v ranged in regular orc 'f kye "other i spending` ou doubly-paired. printing-types; can be andv preferalilyl jbitrarily `arranged, and the', pairings o he symbols .can` be4 arbitrarily ,changed iat; willior; each and every rod. fllhis-nis, done lby forming theT lower nioin'beriofftlie transferse slot bene-athj'eaeh o perinanently-positioned f letter; and formino; -eaehffindividualyf J intime; rre

l al with a flattened neck 42 and a squared 130 the cutting-edge 7,

vcoding machines may tical construction, including even the sainehead 43, so that any one of these demountable types can be inserted at will into the slot beneath any one of the permanently-located letters or symbols.

The procedure, in case a message in the English or other plain language is to be coded, is as follows: rlhe operator slides the several rods 36 into such positions respectively that the `first ten letters of the plain-language message appear in transverse alignment immediately in front. of the maintaining-springs 38; he then readsthe letters there exposed, and verifies the correctness of his work; he next depresses and then releases the operating-bar 3, whereby (first-ly) the proper but arbitrarily-selected code-letters or symbols are printed upon the paper and (secondly) the paper andthe inked ribbon are advanced, ready to receive the next line o-f code-letters; he then repeats the foregoing operations for the -next tenfle-tter'sV of the plain-'language message, and so on until the message has been completed;v and, finally, he lifts the lockingmember 33, swings back the upper frame 30, draws the coded message forward lpast and tears off the paper.- For decoding a coded message into plain English o-r other plain language, the procedure is similar. That is, the operator aligns in front of the maintaining-springs the first ten letters corresponding letters of the decoded nies-- sage. In other words, the coding'fand denumberof rods and the same arrangement of exposed symbols on these rods; yet with diilerent arbitrary arrangements of the printing-types of the only that corresponding rods of the 'two machilies shall both have arbitrarily located printing-types on their under sides 'inthe' saine relation to the exposed symbols on the upper sides of said rods, if the aforesaidA doub-le pairing principle is toI be retained in' In regard'to carrying out the invention. l said double pairing of the 3rinting-types and exposed symbols, this has 'been explained hereinabove, but in a somewhat narrow sense, that is, in connection with an embodiment of the invention such as isy shown in the drawings. Therefore iii-should be added, taking for' e-xample an embodiment including a plurality of relatively adjustable rods as here, that what ferent indicium, as by locating said printing point on the under side of the rod imv mediately below the exposed symbol on the or symbols of thecoded desirably be of iden-'" different rods, `except is broadly meant by the double pairing of the printingfirst, a pairingz of say the fifth exposed symbol from a given' with another printing- I to A the' first mentioned above `said pointsaid exposed symbol corresponding to'said indiciuin. ln other words, although the printing-types of both machines may be arranged with rabsolute arb-itrariness, andeven to obtain greater secrecy, the different rods of each machine may havev a columnar sequence of their printing-types widely dissimilar, the similarly constructed rods of the coding and decodingv machine need not havecorresponding positions relative tov the other' rods of said machines; instead, la rod vof one machine may have a different location from a rod of the other,-and then there will not be a double pairing of the-rods ofthe coding and decoding machines.l In such cases4 of course, the printed message on the tape of the decoding machine; will have to he read by regularly recurringtranspositions of the printed indicia, `pursu'antto a previously arranged or suitably transmitted scheme. Always, however, ther'ewill be incorporated a double pairing ofthe exposed symbols and printing-types of the? entire Irod equipment of one machine with the exposed symbols and printing-types of theventire rod equipment o-f the other machine.`

' Preferably the`decoding1nachinehas rods to the same number as the Acodingy nir-cliizi-e, and these rods are yso arranged that,` 'leek-- ing down on the machine, `the firstfrod to the left of the decoding machine-iis the re.- ciprocal of theI corresponding `rod on the coding machine, the ynext rod tothe right on the decoding machine 4is the reciprocal of the correspondino' j rod," Iof the f coding 'mamachine rod, is i symbols, as A, yB, C, -D, E, or lengthwise 'of a' chine' is matched by of tlie`priiiting-types`onth'e ii'iilder 'side of the corresponding rod o f-thedecoding inachine,y land that `the'arbitrarily'selected I columnar sequence' of the' "printingl devices o'n t-he under side of said rodv of the coding machine side of'said rod of tliedecodingi machine.

lOr, if desired, one single @machine may in a ten-rod machine,the first live' 'rods may is matched by va similar arrangie-A ment 'of the exposed -symbols on-the upper' 1"', tivasso"j be used for coding and the secondive rods for decoding, when saidV sets of rods are reciprocals as just explained, y

As stated, the individual rods are preferably identified by being stamped l, 2, 3, etc.; and two (or more) correlated ina-- chinos" are provided for two (or more)` correspondents in diiferent places. The corre lated machines all have their rods in' they 'same order and Witlithe saine relative ar` rangement ot .their respective printing-symbols for the corresponding rods; "and` it ja, change'of code be desired', 'one correspond# ent notifies the othertoffthe nevv,'code,`jby` -i cablingor telephoning 'or' Writing ,sequence y of ,numerals i to indicate," the "ne-W v`,",ojrder fin which the rodsare ito bearra'ngedL There-` by; .web ia; enema 'machine aber `iii-fine:rien-pi; ,types erit mountable @ver three'ad is. half million theoretically diifcrent codes are available.'` And if, the printingftypes," are` disinoiintable',l lthen millions' ,upon millions y of) theoretically dili'eren't `codes become avail The inventionhas beenfdescribedin full detail, but only for the salie' 'ot clearness."y The bro-ad invention is notjliinited to cle-lj' tailed features [.lierein disclosed, [Parts off ,V thev disclosed structure maybe oii'ifitted,l

modifications `of ystructure and 'of 'arrangei ment' ,may befeinplloyedl Without in-`u any (case departing) from Ithe spirit of the br'oadzin'7 VenteiifA For. example tbegtyr-Carlyins members 'needv notl befrecipijocable rods, but they maybe of any other 'j ,suitable folim,f,aiid they .maybe DC10-re than ,tsl '0f leSlS'tlien @nl in ni'imber; any `appropriate embddiineiit `o printingmeclianisinmayY be used Iin', cV eration therewith and, "indeed,` under" thel broad invention aset 'o ffsuch Lineiiib'ers car# rying two'groups'of symbols, mayl ,uti-'1 lized in various Ways, even `Without 'dctii'ally printing the; coded or decoded' message; y e

The invention having been fully' desc,ribed,A 7-

1. A codinganpdldec'oding 1apparatus com`- 4 prising the combination of aipl'atefnjrevoliible upon a. vertically-movable asis, afslupply of (paper supportedA upon an'dijricti'o ily-iisd; by said platen, aninlzing-ribbonpresenting" an operating#portiony 'parallel to the a the platen and directly above 'the sain y the superposcd paper, a plurality.otp'arallel Erods located in horizontal alignment above l`said ribbon-portion u and independently freciproca'ble: at a4 right-anglefto the, vertical plane through said ribbon-portionfand' said"l axis, each rod presentingonl'its iipperlfaee i a vertically-aligned group? of symbols "ar-j ranged and individually disposed norinaliv` as symbolsfor characters such as the' reg'iilai'ly-arranged :letters of the alphabet, l vand` each-rod presenting from its lower""acefthe `same group 'ot demountable dovviifyvardlyfacing printing-types oil the 'same symbols but not in normal arrangement, the exposed symbol 'for each character being directly" boiito', normal position and for thereafter advancing' the paper and the ribbon, ,ander iiieansifor resetting the rods. n rArffcoding4 and decoding apparatus coniprisiii'g the combination of a platen revoluble' upoiiavertically-movable axis, a supply` of paper supported upon and frictionaliy fed by platen, an hiking-ribbon presenting` an operating-portion parallel'to the axis of tli.e,p lateii and direct-lyabove the platen and the superposed paper, a plurality of parallel rods located iii horizontal alignment above said: operative ribbon-portion aiidindepend-v,

entiy'-ieciprocable at a rightaiigle to the vertical plane through said portion and the axis oi.' sind platen, eacii rod exposing on its: upper iface a vertically-aligned group of symbols :arranged and A individually, position ed` iiormaily as symbols of characters lilasthe letters of the alphabeaand eachl rod presenting from its lower Yface the'sanie groupmot deinountable downwardly-aciiigV printing-types of the saine symbols .but arranged arbitrarily forV each individual, rod,I

the eirposed symbol oi each character being directlyV 4abovel the printing-type vi'or some:

otliericharacter and the exposed symbol ifoi' that other character ,being directly V above SQQ'LIn, a coding and decoding machine, ther combination comprising a pluralityof parallel members, each member exposingthe i j same arrangement ci' the .saine groupfoit symbolssuchas thc regularly-arrringed letters of the alphabet, said members being inl rectly above the printing-v Y 105 the priiiting-type tor the tiret-named charfr acter, and means for cansino' thcplaten to` iii'ipressthe paper and the interposed ribbony against the row' oi selected types and their.

dependentl -inovable to align different sym- L their respective groups, each of .said ers likewise presenting a second but diiiereiitlyarranged group of those saine; symbols as piintiiig-typcs, each syiiibolot`-y the ondgroup being doubly associated on the saine member with some other symbol' ofthesecond group, and means for printing` in a 4row the desired printing-types aforesaid.

Il. 'In a coding and decoding inacliine,va,iU

plurality of parallel members, each member arranged alphabet,

exposing the same arrangement of the saine group of ysymbols such as the regularly-ar ranged letters of the alphabet, said members being .independently-movable to align different symbols of their respective groups, and each of said members likewise presenting a second group consisting of those same symbols arranged arbitrarily and each paired on said member with some other symbol of the tiret-named member,

' 5, In a. coding and decoding machine, a plurality oi parallel rods independently recipro'cable lengthwise, each rod exposing on its upper tace the same group .of the' same symbols arranged and disposed normally as characters such as the regularlyand each member presenting also another group of the same symbols such as printing-types, the exposed symbol for each character being directly above the printing-type tor some other char! acter of the group, and the exposed symbol of that other character being directly above the printing-type for the first-named character, means for retaining said rods in their respectively-selected positions for printing a line of the desired message, and means for printing in a row the desired printing-types aforesaid.

6. In a coding and decoding machine, the combination comprising a plurality of parallel rods independently reciprocable lengthwise, each rodexposing on its upper face the t same group of the same symbols arranged and individually-positioned normally as characters such as the regularly-arranged letters of the alphabet, and each rod prese-11ting from its lower face a second group of the same symbols in the form of downwardly-facing printing-types arranged arbitrarily for each individual rod, the exi posed symbol for each character being directly above the printing-type for Vsome other character on the same rod, and the exposed symbol of that other character being directly above the printing-type for the irst-named character on the same rod, and means for printing in a row the desired printing-types aforesaid.

7. .In a coding and decoding machine, a reciprocable compound-bar comprising mutually-spaced upper and lower members, the upper memb-er exposing in permanent normal arrangement a group of symbols representing characters such as the regularly-alrranged letters of the alphabet, and said lower member'having a transverse slot directly beneath each of said exposed symbols and carrying in said slots demountable and interchangeable printingtypes of the respective characters of the same group, but,-

each' of said typesprinting some other chareter than the exposed one immediately above it, while thev exposed symbol of such group on the same last-named character is immediately above' the printing-type 'of the vfirst-named character. f

8. In aicoding and decoding machine, a reciprocable bar whose upper face exposes in permanent normal arrangement agroup of.

symbols representing characters such as the regularlyfarrange'd letters of the alphabetfV presents arbitrarily-7A arranged printing-types` of the. -respective and whose' lower face charactersof'the same group, but each of said "types 4being for some ot-hercharacter` tha-nthe exposed one-immediately above it, while the exposed 4symbolof,such lastfnamed character is immediately above the print-ingf type of the iirst-named character'.

9. A plurality of rcoding and decoding,l

members each having'twogro'ups'of the same characters such as lettersone vgroupv being exposed and ,permanently arranged in nor-.I mal order and with its individual characters same characters suchas the4 letters of thel alphabet, one gro-up being permanently arranged in normal order, and the other group consisting of the same characters arbitrarily arranged' to be coupled with some vother characters of the first group; said coupling of the two groups, as to a. double pairing ot' at least certain of the characters and print* ing-types, lbeing dissimilar in the different members. I

groups; said arrangement lesv l1. In a machine for printing coded and decoded messages, larly-disposed members shift-able through substantially parallel planes, each presenting the same regularly-arranged symbols'of the same characters and also trarily-arranged printing-types ofsaid characters, said members comprising two equal groups, and each of the symbols of each .memberv of one group being doubly paired with thev printing-type of some different character of the corresponding member ot the other group.

12. In a machine for printingzcoded and l decoded messages, disposed vmembers ferent predetermined a. plurality of regularly presenting the same regularly arranged sym bols of the same characters and also-.carrying arbitra. rilyaianged printing-types vof said characters, saidf members l ycomprising two A equal groups, and each of the symbols of each member of Vone group being(I doubly a plurality lof regu- A carrying arbi-4 shifta-ble 4relative to difprinting points, 4each ilev trarily-arranged printing-types of Said char-- aeters, smid rods comprising two equal groups, and each ou, the symbol's of esrch rod oi one group being doublyqmiled wlth the printngtype of some different character of the corresponding rod of the other group.

FRANK R. SEAVER. 

